JUDGING IjTVE STOCK. 201 



flock, which grew to be by far the most valuable collection 

 in the country. His flock became the source from whence all 

 the best flocks were invigorated. Among the many other 

 breeders who deserve mention is Mr. Rigdon, of Hove, 

 Brighton, who did excellent work in improving the early 

 Sussex sheep, as the Southdowns were sometimes called. 



It is believed that Southdowns were brought to this country 

 by the early New England settlers. Governor Winthrop 

 brought over some ewes in 1648. In 1G88 John Clayton, of 

 Virginia, writes about them and praises their mutton quali- 

 ties. In 1803 A. W. Rose imported a small flock of South- 

 downs to Fayette, N. Y. Later on, in 1824-1828, importations 

 were made to Pennsylvania and New York by Powell and 

 Rotch. These were supposed to have come from the Ellman 

 flock of England. Later on Samuel Thorn and L. G. Morris, 

 both of New York, made large importations, and in 18G3 

 Thome's flock counted descendants from fourteen different 

 importations, principally from the flock of Jonas Webb, of 

 Babraham, Cambridge. Importations were also made to Illi- 

 nois and Kentucky. John Wentworth, of Chicago, by careful 

 selection and management, established a flock which became 

 the source to which American breeders looked for invigorating 

 blood. In 1882 the American Southdown Breeders' Associa- 

 tion was organized at Springfield, Illinois, for the purpose 

 of collecting, revising, preserving and publishing the history 

 and pedigrees of pure-bred Southdown sheep. It has been 

 the aim of this association to encourage and aid breeders of 

 Southdown sheep, taking care that none but worthy claims 

 should be advanced to their credit, and also that none but 

 worthy sheep should be recorded. 



